Five fatal mistakes in English usage
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The document outlines 5 common errors to avoid in academic writing: 1) Misspelling words, 2) Beginning sentences without capitalization, 3) Using texting abbreviations, 4) Writing sentence fragments, and 5) Writing run-on sentences. It provides examples and explanations of each error and recommends developing the habit of proofreading to avoid mistakes in spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation.
Five fatal mistakes in English usage
- 1. The 5 fatal mistakes in English usage Papers (or journal or blog entries with these errors will not receive a grade)
- 2. Misspelling words jump Beginning a sentence without a capital jump Using text-messaging abbreviations Jump 4. Writing sentence fragments jump 5. Writing run-on sentences (and comma splices) jump
- 4. We live in the spell check era. Use it.
- 5. To a large extent, the worlds of education, business, and government are closed to you if you cannot turn in text without misspellings.
- 6. The habit of checking, and re-checking, the spelling of documents you create is vital.
- 7. No school assignment should be handed in with words misspelled.
- 8. Beginning a sentence without a capital (or failing to capitalize “I”)
- 9. Not capitalizing the first word of each sentence is the quickest and easiest way to:
- 10. 1. Not get that job you want. Few employers will bother with someone who can’t or doesn’t write standard English.
- 11. 2. Not be taken seriously by other people. People will assume you’re dumb if your writing is sloppy. In fact, not taking the time to fix simple problems is dumb.
- 12. 3. Not to pass this class.
- 13. It’s true that some online communities Have relaxed rules about capitalization. Sometimes, no capitalization is used.
- 14. This is okay, in those places, just as it’s okay to lounge around the house in slippers and a ragged t-shirt.
- 15. But it’s not okay at school or at work.
- 17. If u wan2tlk to tptb u need 2tlk in English
- 18. Translation: If you want to talk to the powers that be, you need to speak in English. tkmwfi (take my word for it)
- 19. Sentence fragments A complete sentence expresses a complete thought
- 20. Are these groups of words sentences?
- 21. Although Rachel worked hard on her paper My student editor Derrick A freshly watered houseplant Because I couldn’t find the right program
- 22. They aren’t sentences because they aren’t complete thoughts.
- 23. What happened although Rachel worked hard? What about my student editor Derrick? What about that freshly watered house plant? What happened because you couldn’t find the program?
- 24. What’s wrong with the following “sentence”?
- 25. Jesse loves to write poetry he’s a talented writer.
- 26. The sentence is wrong because “Jesse likes to write poetry” and “He’s a talented writer” can both stand as complete sentences. Therefore, we can’t merge them into a single sentence without separating them in some way.
- 27. It’s a “run-on sentence.” It’s not good enough to join the two thoughts with a comma. That’s called a “comma splice”: Jesse stopped at the grocery store, he needed a lunch for the field trip tomorrow.
- 28. If you have two independent clauses, they need to be separated by something more powerful than a comma.
- 29. A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
- 30. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as sentences: Although I was on time for work Because Alice was the first one in line Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences: Gary did want the sandwich My brother, Greg, was late for the meeting
- 31. There are 5 ways to fix run-on sentences
- 32. Make the two clauses into two sentences: Brandon played drums in the band. It was a hard rock band. Brandon played drums in the band it was a hard rock band. Right Wrong
- 33. Use a semi-colon Craig accepted Lisa’s gift; it was nice. Craig accepted Lisa’s gift it was nice. Right Wrong
- 34. Use a comma and a coordinating conjuction ( and, but, or, for, yet, nor , or so) : It was snowing , but we forgot to bring our coats. It was snowing we forgot to bring our coats. Right Wrong
- 35. Use a comma and a subordinating conjunction (after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while, etc.) Though Jessica and Waylon like pizza , Allison doesn’t. Jessica and Waylon like pizza Allison doesn’t. Right Wrong
- 36. Use a semi-colon and a transition (however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, consquently, otherwise, as a result, etc.) I thought the colors would go together well ; however, I was mistaken. I thought the colors would go together well I was mistaken. Right Wrong
- 37. Getting these things right isn’t hard. They have more to do with habits of carefulness than with any great knowledge of writing.
- 38. Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. St . Augustine
- 39. We first make our habits, and then our habits make us. John Dryden
- 40. Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains. Thomas Buxton
- 41. Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired . Mortimer Caplan